The Black Sun
by Raristrong
Summary: It has been three years since the events of the Twilight Princess and Hyrule has recovered, but trouble always seems to be at the edge of the horizon. A strange boy with a strange dream, a new kingdom, but what does Link have to do with all of this?
1. Prolouge

The Legend of Zelda:

**The Legend of Zelda:**

**Black Sun**

Rating "T" for Teen. Contains mild language, mild violence and some suggestive scenes.

This author takes no credit or profit from any of the characters or settings that were created by Nintendo. All others are property of the author and use of these characters without permission will result in one mean scolding.

--

The fire crackled in the silent room, illuminating very little of the room. Two silhouettes sat in two chairs, facing each other. Each held a mug of steaming liquid, the larger one taking a drink of his. He sighed after his sip, saying to the smaller one,

"Drink, young one. The warmth will help you relax."

"Thank you once again Shaman." the smaller one said, taking several drinks at once, seemingly unaffected by the warmth of the drink.

"Now, there was something you wanted to see me about? A dream or something that's kept you up a fortnight?"

"Yes, that's right. I needed someone to talk to, and you seemed the best person, at the moment." He took another sip.

"I understand. Now, why don't you tell me about this dream."

"Well, it always starts the same way. I'm walking through a thick forest, a forest with no color at all. The only color is in shades of black and white. I continue walking, looking for some other sign of life, hoping that I'm not the only one. Sometimes I see nests, or scratches in the dirt and trees, but I cannot find the animal that made those marks. I then come to a river, a not very wide one, but I know that it is deep. I walk along the bank of the river, trying to find a safe way across. I hear a noise ahead of me, it sounds like a shout, so I run towards it, in hopes of finding someone else. I do. I find a bridge, and on this bridge are two people fighting with swords, one is very large, and the other looks to be a young adult. The smaller one strikes down the larger one, and stares at me. I stare back. He then runs across the bridge, making no noise, and I follow him. I run and run until I come out of the forest, and before me is a sight like no other. There are rolling hills covered in grass, a black river running near me. In the distance, I see a mountain range with huge mountains, unlike any found in Hyrule. The peaks of these mountains are covered in white clouds. Then, a wolf walks up next to me, with a pattern of three triangles on his forehead. We look at the horizon, and a black sun comes up above the clouds, blackening everything its rays touch. Then the dream ends."

The larger one, the Shaman, only sat there, silently sipping at his drink, thinking about this child's dream.

"You should go back to your mother, she would be worried."

The smaller one nodded, setting the cup down on the floor, and opening the door, motioning to leave, but before he did he said,

"Can you give me an answer soon Renado?"

"I will try, but there are some people I need to talk to first. Now, goodnight." The child then left, and Renado was left there, thinking about the dream.

"Could it have any connection to him?" he muttered, finishing his drink,

"Only time will tell."


	2. A New Day

The sun slowly rose over the quite Ordon Village, it's inhabitants slowly waking up. Thye began their day as usual, eating breakfast, doing chores, cleaning up. Birds chirped, animals frolicked, goats grazed, it was a good life. Hardly anyone remembered the one year this village was without it's children. That year was three years ago, and the land of Hyrule recovered and went on with it's buisness.

Zelda had set forth rebuilding the castle immediately, the four former resistance members still held meetings, solving the many mystery's still surronding Hyrule. Prince Ranith grew to be a popular king within the Zora's and the surronding countryside. Trade between the towns continued, and trade with new provinces was established. Still, there are some who still remember the tragic events that befell the land those years ago. One of them was still asleep in his bed.

On the outskirts of Ordon Village lay a small house, big enough for two people. Inside the house had several levels, accesible by ladders. The house seemed to conform with the tree it shared, taking it's beauty from there. Up on one of the tallest platforms lay a small bed, with an apparent lump in it. That lump shifted, and a head of blonde hair peaked out. It grunted, and threw off the covers, exposing the rest of the lump.

Lying their, stomach down, was a person that looked like a boy, but was really an adult by now. In his hand was a letter, a letter from a friend in Kakariko Village, talking about some dream some kid had. The contents didn't seem to concern him to much, but the man thought about it more, thinking that mabye he did have a connection with the dream. He told himself he would think about it later, in the morning, and the letter was the first thing that came to his mind. He opened his eyes, bringing the letter in front of them.

"Link,

Last night, I had a conversation with a young boy from the village. He told me of a dream, a dream that held a black sun, and a wolf with three triangles on it's forehead. I'm not sure what the dream means as of yet, I will have to think about that more. Please, I aks you, come out to Kakariko Village sometime, and hear this strange tale.

Renado."

Link groaned once more, his arm weakly dropping back onto the bed. He lay there for several more minutes, wishing that he didn't have to do anything today, but he did. Fado would be coming around soon, telling link to hurry and help tend the goats. He sat up, finally deciding he would get out of bed this time. He slipped on a plain shirt, and a pair of light, cotton pants, and decended down the ladders. Once he got down there, he started making some eggs, and some toast. As soon as they were done, he sat down in a chair and began eating.

His gaze came across a strange helmet that hung on the wall across from him. It only covered one eye, and the right horn of the helmet was broken, the pieces lying below it. He stopped eating for a second, in mid chew, and once again thought about that day. The day he struck down Ganon for the last time, the day he saw Midna in her true form. A few days after that, the day he would never forget, the day Midna left him.

He started eating again mumbling something about putting that in the basement with the rest of his gear. He never quite firgured out why he took the helmet and it's pieces with him, mabye it was to remember the brave Hero he once was, or mabye it was to remember her. After she had gone, he realized just how much he missed her company, how he was used to her just being there. You only realize how someting's precious to you until it's gone, he heard someone say before. He guessed that was true, never giving it a second thought before.

"Hey! Link!" shouted Fado, "Come on! Time to get to work!"

"Be down in a second!" Link shouted back, dumping his dishes in his sink. He quickly smothered the fire, and went outside. Fado was quietly waiting outside, watching as Link slid down teh small latter. They nodded at each other, and headed into the village. The day was spent relaxing on the ranch, riding Epona, eating, and rounding up the goats at evening. Link walked back through the village, waving at all those he meet. There wasn't much going on today, which was usual, except talk of some new kingdom to the north.

Link tied Epona back up to a nearby tree, and went back inside his house. He sighed, dropping into his chair. He hadn't gotten her out of his mind all day, and the letter started to bother him soon. Renado was probably expecting him to come out the day he got the letter, or soon at least.

"A wolf with three triangles on his head," Link whispered, closing his eyes, "Haven't thought of him in a long while." After his ordeal, link started regarding his alter ego, the wolf, as a seperate person. He still had that black and orange crystal, or at least he think he did, he hadn't looked at his equipment for a while now. He opened his a peak, staring at that helmet. He grunted, and walked over to the helmet, and pulled it off the wall, cold to the touch. He picked up the pieces, and headed over to the basement.

He climbed down, with some trouble, and lit his lantern that was near. Hanging on the wall, and on the floor, was all his equipment he had picked up on his travels. Various dungeon maps, the double clawshot, the ball and chain, his iron boots. On the far wall was a chest, a chest that held his old hero's clothes from that time. He opened it, Staring at the green clothing. He was struck with a feeling of nostalgia, wondering what it would feel like if he started his journey yet again.

He set the helmet and its pieces down, and took out the clothes, admiring each pieces . He slipped off his clothes, and put those on, struggling just a little bit, they were getting small for him. He finished with the hat, slinging the Hylian shield and scabbard across his back. The scabbard held the Ordon Sword, Link having put the Master Sword back in its proper place. He picked up his lantern, and looked at himself in the mirror. The boyish charm was still there, just a little bit, lost by age and hard travels. His hair was messier than before, and a little bit of stubble was growing on his chin.

"Well, why not? I think I'm going to take a journey around Hyrule, visit old friends, and probably make new ones, and visit Renado and that child. Well, let's get packed then." he said, grabbing a saddle bag, stuffing some of the smaller equipement in it. He wouldn't need all of it, just some. He grabbed his bottles, the double clawshot, the bow, the giant bomb bag, and the quiver.

When he got out of the basment, he rounded up some pans, and some food, and put those in a seperate bag. He scribbled down a note, so not to worry the town's folk. He went outside, untying Epona, strapped on the bags, and finally hopped on. He sighed, he would miss this town, but this time he knew he would be coming back, so he didn't feel too bad. He spurred Epona, directing her northwards, towards Hyrule Field, and what may be the next chapter of his life.

A/N: Hello, If you made it this far, I thank you, at least you read my story. I'll update it soon, if people start to like it. Please read and review, and I hope yoiu like it! 


	3. A New Adventure

A New Adventure

Hyrule Field was bathed in the light of golden twilight; giving anything its rays touched a heavenly quality. As Link rode on through, he remembered that first glimpse of Hyrule Field those years ago, the lands all around it covered in a veil of twilight, much like this evening. He spurred Epona on further, thankful of the absence of enemies, someone must have made sure they all disappeared. Link was a little disappointed though; he was looking forward to hitting something with his sword once more.

He slowed Epona down a tad, rushing through the tight passage between the field and the gorge. As he came out the other end, he halted Epona, keeping a tight grip on the reins so he didn't fall off. He found that the gorge too was bathed in that golden twilight, though it was dimmer than the field. Link, done with nostalgia, spurred Epona on once again, heading towards the bridge.

Suddenly, a kargarok bolted out of the gorge, Link falling off Epona as she reared up in surprise. He quickly got to his feet, drawing out his bow. Just as he was about to release the arrow, something hit him in the back. He was knocked down, the arrow widely missing his target. He drew his sword, swinging it around as he leaped up. He felt contact, and heard a shriek, and then silence. He looked down, and saw that he had sliced through a bokoblin. He sighed, that was rather fun. He heard another shriek, and looked up, and just in time. The kargarok was sweeping down towards him.

Link dove for the bow, drawing an arrow and rightening himself. He waited, watching as the kargarok grew larger, until it was almost on top of him. He waited until the bird was just five feet in front of him, and let the arrow go, a grin on his face. The arrow hit the kargarok right between the eyes, and it fell onto Link. He grunted, surprised at the weight. He threw the bird off, frowning at the stain the bird left on his tunic; he would have to clean that.

He brushed himself off, standing up, and chuckled.

"Heh, I forgot how much fun that was." he said, heading back towards Epona, who had crossed the bridge in fright. "Come on Epona, everything's all right now girl."

He approached her, and stroked her neck, calming her down. He jumped on, taking one last look at the remains of his battle, and turned towards Kakariko Village. It was dark by the time he finally entered; the first sight he saw was Renado's house, aglow with candlelight, and a small trail of smoke rose up from the chimney.

Link hopped off Epona, still holding onto her reigns, leading her towards the house. A silhouette appeared in the window, and then was gone. As soon as Link was at the house, the silhouette was outside, apparently waiting for him.

"Link, you have come." Renado said, waving a hand in greeting. "I have been anticipating your arrival. Please, come inside and we can talk."

Link nodded, tying up Epona on a nearby post. He stroked her neck, calming her, and patted it when he was done. He went inside, stopping for a moment as he entered. Renado's little hut had changed since he had seen it last. There was a door to the left, maybe leading to a bedroom or a study. There was another doorway, this one missing the door. Sweet smells drifted out, smells of apples and bread. Link saw a couple chairs and a fireplace on the other side of the statue, with a small table between them. A girl walked out of the kitchen, carrying a tray with two cups, filled almost to the brim with a dark liquid, and two slices of pie. Link wondered for a second at who this girl was, and followed her to the chairs, she hadn't seen him yet.

"Thank you Luda." Renado's voice came from behind one of the chairs, Luda setting the tray on the small table. She turned, and gasped slightly, finally noticing Link. "Don't be alarmed Luda, it is only just Link."

"Oh! Hello again Link." Luda said, nodding her head. Link nodded back, and stood there until Luda said, "Please, take a seat. I just made some pie, please help yourself." She pointed to the other chair, the one on the left, and made her way back through to the kitchen. Link took the seat, and hesitantly reached for the cup nearest him.

"Don't be shy Link, please, drink." Renado said, one of the cups already in his hands, some of the liquid gone. Link chuckled, grabbing a cup and taking a sip. The drink was bitter at first, then a hidden layer of sweetness came after the drink was swallowed. "Surprised? The drink is from the new kingdom to the north. It is called 'micami' I believe." he took another drink, "Now, you are probably wondering why it is I called you here, and that is because of this one boys' strange dream. Let me tell it to you."

Link listened intently, silently sipping his drink as Renado told him the boys dream. At the mention of the wolf with the three triangles, he knew once again that that must've ment him, as to the two people fighting, he could only take a guess. Both of them remained silent for a few minutes, until a crash was heard from the kitchen, Renado and Link peering around the chair to see what it was.

"I'm sorry! Everything's alright!" Luda called, and her head poked out from the door, covered in flour, "I just dropped the flour, and a couple pans. I'm cleaning it up now, and don't worry, I'm fine." She disappeared back into the kitchen, Link and Renado turning back, staring at the fire.

"She is growing up to be a fine girl, just like her mother." Renado said, a sadness reflecting in his eyes. "Let us talk of something else, shall we?" Link nodded in agreement, putting a hand over his mouth as he yawned.

"I'm getting pretty tired Renado, I think I am going to fall asleep soon." Link said, setting his empty glass back on the tray. He stared at the fire, letting the erratic dance of the flames lure him into a sleep. His head nodded forward, and suddenly jerked back, Link mumbling something.

"Link, take my bed tonight, it is the least I can offer." Renado gently said, soon setting his cup down. Link was about to protest, but a yawn crept up on him, stifling him before he said a word. Renado chuckled as Link did so, saying, "Seems as you are too tired to keep up this argument. I bid you goodnight, for I am need of sleep also."

He got up, heading into the door, and brought out a light blanket soon after. Renado motioned for Link to head inside, giving a little advice beforehand, "Link, there are two bedrooms. Mine is the one on the right." Link nodded, getting up, bringing his piece of pie with him, and entered the door. Before him lay a plain enough bed, covered in a quilt, depicting scenes of battle, and in the center laid the Triforce. He stared at the symbol for what seemed like hours, but brought himself back, shaking his head.

He entered the door on the right, finding a similar bed with a similar quilt. Next to the bed was a nightstand, and he set the plate with the pie on it while he sat on the bed. A candle burned brightly, illuminating most of the room. He stood up, and started undressing, sighing in relief as the tight-fitting clothes were finally cast off his body. He was only dressed in a pair of loose fitting leggings, and no shirt. He looked around one more time, and crept into bed, extinguishing the candle, blackening the room.


	4. A Visit to Old Friends

A Visit to Old Friends

The darkness came first, swift as a hawk taking its prey, blocking out all light. He felt himself moving, his feet walking towards a destination known only to them. They kept walking for what seemed like hours, and even days. Not once did they rest, not once did they have a drink of water, not once were they able to fill their empty stomachs. The destination must have been reached, for the walking stopped, and he felt himself fall to his knees.

The pain came soon after. Sudden, wracking pain that was felt all over the body, missing not a single area. He heard faint screaming, whether or not it was his own, he could not tell. What he could tell was that he was not alone. He heard screams of men, women, children, all screaming for it to stop and for someone to end it. His stopped, and he was left there, his body wracking as he cried, wishing that the pain would not come back. AS swift as it came, the darkness disappeared, and before him was a hellish scene.

He was in the square of Castle Town, the castle in flames to his right, and the rest of the town was in flames also. Everywhere there were strange figures, almost as tall as the buildings, chasing after the citizens, their eyes empty and hollow of all emotion. Noise flooded his ears, the screams he heard were magnified, the crackling of the huge flames all around him. He looked down as he heard sobbing, and gasped. Below him lay the Twilight Princess, her black dress covering little of her pale skin.

She looked up, her face stained with tears, a small smile playing on her lips as she saw him. She was chained by the wrist to the fountain; a small trickle of red had gone down her arm. She began pulling against the chains, wincing as the shackles pierced her wrists. She was pleading, the tears coming back, for him to undo these shackles and both of them escape this hell. He could only stare at her, his limbs not obeying his thoughts. He felt a weight in his right hand, and he saw that it was a sword. He began raising it, his mind protesting the movement, but to no avail. He brought the sword down, the last thing he heard was her screaming.

A scream erupted from his throat, awakening anything near it. Link almost flew out of his bed, soaked in sweat, still screaming. The door was almost torn off it's hinges, Renado rushing over to Link. He grabbed a hold of his shoulders, shaking him and shouting his name. Link calmed down eventually, his body still shaking slightly.

"Link, what happened?" Renado asked softly, like a mother to her child. Link couldn't speak, staring blankly at the quilt, his mind elsewhere. He stopped shaking, his eyes closing, tears flowing silently from his eyes. Renado stared, his hands loosening their grip. Link drifted back to sleep, wanting to rest again, forget that terrible dream. Renado gently set his head on the pillow, bringing the quilt and sheet up to his shoulders. He looked at Link once more, and returned to his chair, calming the scared Luda in the next room.

Link thought about the dream he had last night as he rode Epona through Eldin Field. That morning, he had left, but without speaking to Renado first. He thanked him for his generosity, telling him that he would come back when he found out what the dream meant. Link told Renado that there were some friends in Castle Town that he would visit, hoping that they would be a big help.

He looked over the field, taking in the beauty of it, remembering how surreal it looked when twilight still covered the land to the north. He sighed, thinking of the Twilight reminded him of her, the true Twilight Princess, Midna. He winced as a quick flashback of her chained to that fountain came. The dream troubled him, and he wondered if it was a hint as to what was to come, or if was just a nightmare. For now he was content with it being just a nightmare, but something in the back of his mind didn't quite agree with this.

He spurred Epona to go faster, wanting to get there as fast as he could. It had been many a month since his last visit to Castle Town, and he wanted to pay a visit to the Princess, after he first visited Telma. There were not any monsters on the field today, and he was lucky for that today. After last night, he did not want to draw his sword quite yet, not until he got over the dream.

The tunnel to enter Castle Town loomed before him, and he saw that the bridge was improved upon greatly. Long gone were the planks of wood, and in their place were blocks of brightly polished white stone. He looked down the gorge as he passed over the bridge, looking if there was any danger, any monsters lurking down there. He brought his head back up as his surroundings darkened for a moment, and then a second later light came back. He looked to where Hyrule Castle once stood, and saw that there was an even more majestic castle in its place.

Large turrets sprung from the ground, becoming smaller as they led away from the central part of the castle. They were bound to each other by sweeping inverse arches, held together by what seemed like magic. There were three walls, there could be more, but Link's view was blocked by Castle Town. He slowed Epona to a trot, staring at the large open door before him. He could barely see that the town square was bustling with people. He climbed off Epona as he entered the town, handing her over to the stable hand at the door.

He walked through the street, seeing banners and flags waving in the soft breeze. He wondered d what the occasion was, maybe there was a festival going on, or something. Eventually he came across the town square, and set up everywhere were stalls, their signs written in a strange language, one he didn't recognized.

"You sir! Yes you!" someone shouted, and Link looked around, until he saw a man waving at him. He walked over, trying to see what the man wanted. "You look like you are trouble yes? Well I have just right thing. Here it is!" the man, a much older man, wrinkles lining his face and hands, brought out a small box, "In this box lies a most powerful item, able to cure you of your troubles."

"What is it exactly sir?" Link asked the man, trying not to be rude. The man was acting strangely, almost like he was sick or something.

"Ah-a! I no tell you. You must buy to find out. You buy sir?" the old man asked, almost shoving the box into Link's face. His nose scrunched up as he smelt a horrid smell coming from the box, and he pushed it away.

"No thank you sir, maybe another time," Link replied, hurrying into the crowd, the old man shouting after him. He turned down the street that Telma's bar lay, and quickly made his way into the crowd. Castle Town was unusually busy, Link having spotted Zoras and Gorons and other odd creatures walking up and down the street. He pushed through the crowd, and into the alleyway. He stepped down the stone steps, placing a hand on the rail, and walked across the small courtyard and down the shallow slope.

He heard shouts of cheer and joy, and opened the door slowly, one eye peering from behind the door. He opened the door fully, seeing that the crowd was packed, and just as diverse as the streets were. He could see Telma behind the bar, and also a couple more barmaids scurrying around, setting down hot meals and filled mugs. It smelled nice inside the bar, like dew on a fresh spring morning. He walked into the bar a little, looking around for an empty seat. He saw a patron get up and leave, brushing by him in haste. Link quickly rushed toward a seat, just barely grabbing it before another man. He shrugged at the man, smiling, and the man walked away.

He straitened his shirt, and took off his hat, holding it in his lap. He thought he would surprise Telma, having been about two years since they last saw each other. He looked down the bar, which was filled with mostly heavy-set people, and a couple Gorons, and tried to spot Telma. He saw her at the other end, and turned back; taking off his rupee purse, frowning as he saw it only contained a few rupees.

"What can I get for you honey?" Telma asked, leaning on the counter slightly. Link looked up, trying to form a sentence, and he finally got one.

"Uh, what can I get for this much?" Link asked, dumping out his rupee purse, exposing the three green rupees he held. Telma laughed heartily, pushing the rupees back.

"I'm afraid you can't buy anything with that honey, I'm sorry. Now, I think you should go, let some other soul sit there." Telma said, chuckling as she started walking away.

"Not even for an old friend Telma?" Link called after her, and she stopped for a second. She walked back to him, and gasped. Link had put his hat back on, and she instantly recognized him.

"Li-i-ink!" Telma exclaimed, enveloping Link in a bear hug, literally chocking him. "Oh it is so good to see you honey! You can have anything, it's on the house!" She finally let go of him, Link coughing and wheezing to gain the lost air. He tried saying something to Telma, and finally got it out after regaining his breath.

"Telma, I have something I need to talk about, and I need the others too." Link whispered, leaning in close. Telma came closer in too, hearing with all that he had to say. He told her about the strange dream the other boy had, and didn't mention the other one. Telma nodded as she listened intently, and whispered back to Link,

"Sounds like we may have trouble. Sad to say, everyone is out on there own task, so it will be a while before I round them up, so go out and have some fun," Telma said, grabbing something out of her brown apron, putting it in Link's palm, and closing his hand. He opened up, and saw that there were a few hundred rupee pieces there. Before Link could reply, Telma said, "Listen, this is the very least I could do. Go out and have some fun, and I'll call you when everyone's together. Now, get going."

Link obliged, grabbing his rupee pouch, leaving the green ones on the counter, and putting the orange ones in their stead. He tied it shut, strapping it onto his belt. He walked out of the bar, giving another wave to Telma right before he left. He stepped into the crowded street once more, and started making his way up to the castle, hoping to gain an audience with the Princess.


	5. A Festival of Union

A Festival of Union

Joyous music sprung from every corner of the city. People from all over Hyrule had come to this 'Festival of Union,' as it was being called. The cause of this grand festival? Princess Zelda had just signed a peace treaty with the nation of Zinatia, adding the number of allies Hyrule had. Zinatia was also holding a festival at their main palace, but Hyrule did not know that yet. Merchants and travelers from all over the two lands came, setting up stalls and selling exotic goods.

Link had already spent most of the money that Telma had given him, buying exotic foods, mysterious items, and a little bit here and there for some of the magic shows and acrobatics that were happening all around town. In his hand was his water sack, which he had filled up with the drink he had at Renado's, the micami. While he hated the bitter taste it first had, he loved the surprisingly sweet taste that came after you swallowed. He could drink this for hours, if he had enough with him and enough to buy more.

Finishing off something that was a cross between a pastry and cake, Link decided he would finally go and visit the Princess. He had meant to go do that as soon as he left Telma's, but he had gotten distracted by the multitude of things to do here at the festival. He pushed through the crowd of people, giving a sigh of relief as he entered the castle courtyard. He gasped; it was obvious that Zelda had been working for hours on the plans to the castle.

The path leading up to the wall was lined with trimmed hedges, off the path about ten feet. Each hedge was different, ranging from Zoras to Gorons and other exotic creatures. Link made his way down the path, observing the guards lining the top of the wall. He could see all the way to the castle doors, all the gates were open. He could understand that, this was a time for peace, why shut off the castle. He thought about that as he continued down the path, passing the second gate. It wasn't until he made his way to the castle doors that he encountered resistance.

"Halt!" a soldier, clad in silver-grey armor, said, "What is your business here?"

"I wish to see the Princess, if that isn't to much trouble." Link said, putting his hands at his side.

"The Princess is busy, and is not taking any audiences today. Please come back later." the soldier said, bringing his gaze back to straight ahead.

"Uh, um. Is that so?" Link asked, still looking at the soldier, "Well, tell him that Link is here to see her."

"L-link, you say?" the soldier replied, staring at Link once again. "Follow me sir." The guard entered the castle, Link following close behind. The guards stopped Link as soon as they entered, and rushed off somewhere, presumably to find the Princess. Link looked around, impressed at the improvements Zelda had made.

Hanging above him were a dozen chandeliers, their candles unlit for the time being. Covering the floor of the large entry chamber was polished marble, so polished that you could see your reflection. It wasn't the best, but you could still see it. He walked forward, noticing that some of the marble was a golden color, arranged in some kind of pattern. Link looked around, trying to spot a staircase, or something he could climb. He found the staircase, which was directly across from the door. He climbed the staircase about halfway, thinking that that would be sufficient, and it was.

He wasn't overtly surprised at what he found. It was upside down from where he stood, but he knew what the symbol was all the same. It was the Triforce, the one symbol that prevailed in all of Hyrule for countless of ages. The symbol that the goddesses left, showing the power that they contained. He continued staring at it, and then looked at his right hand, the hand that lay the power of one third of the Triforce. A cough from behind made him lose his concentration, and saw that it was the guard from before.

"Princess Zelda will see you now. Please follow me." the guard said, turning directly around and starting off. Link followed closely behind, absorbing every little new detail of the castle from the tapestry's to the suits of armor to even the pots. He snickered, remembering the fun he had just breaking pots for the occasional rupee or other odd item that lay in them. As they continued walking, Link began wondering where Zelda's room was exactly. It couldn't be too farther up, most of the top of the castle was still undergoing construction.

"We are here sir," the knight said, stopping in front of a pair of large, mahogany doors, "the Princess is waiting for you inside." The guard opened one of the doors, and Link stepped through. There was a short hallway, illuminated by the light that came from the room beyond. He walked down the hallway, expecting to see some gorgeous room full of lavish decor and other priceless items. This room was not that room. The room he saw was rather bare, grey stones all around, a rather large four poster bed in one corner. On the same wall as the bed lay several wardrobes, and a couple dressers. Over on the wall to his right he saw another door, a smaller one than the one outside. He walked over to it, careful to be as quite as he could be, and knocked on it.

"Who is it?" a faint voice came from behind the door said.

"An old friend," Link replied. He heard the scraping of a chair, and quick footsteps, and then the door opened. There stood Zelda, wearing a white dress, the top a light purple. Her shoulders were bare, and white gloves covered her arms, ending just above the elbow. Her hair, now slightly darker than when he last saw it.

"Link?" Zelda asked, watching as Link merely nodded his head in reply. Zelda pounced on Link, squeezing him very hard. Link hugged her back, though not as hard. He had to eventually pry her off, before she choked him to death. She calmed down, coughing and stepping a few steps back from Link. "I am glad to see you again Link. How have you been?"

"I've been well, but there's some trouble I was hoping you would be able to help me with, and I also have a few questions that I would like to ask." Link said, still staring at Zelda. She nodded, wanting to hear the problems first. They sat down on the bed, and Link told him the dream of the Black Sun. After he was done, Zelda sat there, silent, thinking. She finally said,

"The description of the dream does not sound like any place in Hyrule, except for the forest. That could very well be Ordon Forest, but as to the high mountains, the only ones are the northern border. You cannot see them from Ordon Province though. There might be a place like that in Zinatia though," her voice trailed off, her mind still thinking the dream through.

"Oh, that was something I wanted to ask about also," Link pointed out, turning to Zelda, "Who are these strange people that have come? Where do they come from, and why are they here?"

"I thought you would ask that," Zelda said, as if she had anticipated his question, "They call themselves Zinatian's, after their country of Zinatia to the north. We actually discovered Zinatia after we decided to search for new lands to settle, and might possibly rule over. We didn't have to go far. I was part of the team that stumbled upon Zinatia. We were ambushed, luckily no one was hurt, and brought before their king. I explained to him our predicament, and he opened himself up to us. We stayed there for many a month, and then the king and I decided to sign the treaty here, at the Castle. The festival that is going on is to celebrate the treaty, for we now have a new ally, in case we are ever attacked again."

Link sat there, thinking over this new predicament. 'Zinatia?' he though, 'The answer to my dream may lay there, as well as the boys.'

"Well, I think I may have to go to Zinatia to solve my mystery. Who knows, maybe this 'Black Sun' may allow me to see her again." Link said, his gaze drawn to the open window, the faint sounds of the festival coursing through the air.

"Well, the Zinatian king, King Snarsis, is leaving in a week. I will have to arrange for him to meet you, for he wishes to see the fiercest warrior of the land for some reason. Please, wait here, for there are some more errands I must complete before we cant truly talk." Zelda said, patting Link's hand. She got up, walking out of her chamber, and he listened as the pitter-patter of her shoes faded away. Link sat there, still staring at the window, whispering,

"Zinatia, eh? Looks like my adventure is beginning again."

A/N I am sorry for how late this chapter is up, I have been really busy and haven't gotten a chance to update. Anyway, I think I may have turned people off with the beginning of the previous chapter, but please give this story a chance! I believe that this story is going to go far, I already have the rest of the story planned out. This chapter is shorter than the others I realize that, but I wanted to at least introduce this new land, and have a meeting with Zelda, albeit it being a short one. I say this again, please read and review!

For those wondering where the chapter "Zinatia" went to, I got rid of it. I've decided to split it up into two chapters instead. I'd also like to announce that this story will be in a temporary hiatus, until I can find time in my schedule to finally come back to it. I'm still going to continue this story, but at a later date.


	6. The Journey

The Journey

When you think of a king, you might imagine a big man, muscular and strong, a loud voice that can be heard across the kingdom. He would have a beard, shaved and kept close to the skin, hair smooth and short. The king of Zinatia had none of those qualities. He was a frail man, and rather short, just barely above five feet. He was lean, with barely any muscle. He had no beard, his hair was long and arranged in some of the most intricate patterns. His name was King Snarsis Cylenth Rasmeritanth the Third. He was dressed in the most expensive robes of his kingdom, a multitude of colors, with real gold thread holding it all together. Draped across his shoulders was a deep magenta robe, clasped at his throat.

King Snarsis stood at his window, overlooking Castle Town. He was lost in thought, thinking about the problems plaguing his land, hoping that this Princess Zelda would help him. He would reveal to her his problems, as soon as he met the fiercest warrior of their land. The warrior was one part of the Kings plan, a plan that he was starting to regret ever starting in the first place. A knock on the door disrupted his thoughts, and he walked over to the door, stopping in front of it.

"Who is there?" he asked his voice soft and light as a feather.

"It is Zelda, Your Highness. May I come in? There is something I must talk to you about." Zelda replied, her hand reaching for the knob. Snarsis opened the door for her, quietly walking back to the window. Zelda followed, closing the door behind her.

"Your Highness, the warrior you requested is here," Zelda said, approaching the King. He merely turned, staring at the Princess, as if he was staring straight through her. Zelda felt herself tense up, "I-I, um, H-he would like to know if he c-could travel back with you and your men to Zinatia." she stammered, cursing herself for stammering.

"The reason?" Snarsis said quietly, still staring his cold stare at her.

"W-well, I believe that he would like to explain it all to you personally," Zelda said, taking a half-step backwards, feeling intimidated, "He his here, in the castle. If you would follow me?"

Zelda walked out of the chamber, with King Snarsis following close behind. She looked over her shoulder occasionally, making sure that he was following. She wondered what he was thinking, how he thought of the castle and of Hyrule. The Zinatian castle was easily three times the size of this one, built at the very base of a grand mountain range. He was really still thinking about the plan, the plan that might very well save his kingdom.

* * *

Meanwhile, Link was looking around the Princess's chambers, seeing what there was to see. He didn't look everywhere (such as a certain drawer), but he searched what he thought was acceptable. He had made his way into her study, and started looking at some of the papers on her desk. The study was about half the size of the bedroom, with bookcases covering three of the walls, all filled with books. Sitting in the center was a mahogany desk, its top slightly raised. An ink vial with a quill pen sat on the small horizontal spot at the top. Link looked at the pen for a moment, and then started looking through the papers again. 

He didn't find too many interesting topics, ranging from budgets to political chit-chat to other boring topics. He did however; find what Zelda had been writing to be of particular interest. He picked up the letter, and scanned it. It was hard to read the writing, not because it was sloppy, but because it was written in beautiful calligraphy. He had to stop at parts and go over a word multiple times before he found what it said. The letter was talking about the recent treaty, and how grateful the Princess was for the King to sign it. The writing cut off just as it was talking about something about a deal the Zelda and the King made, something not revealed to the public.

He set the letter back down, and walked back out to the bedroom, to give the appearance that he had never strayed from the bedroom. Just in time too, for Zelda, followed closely by the King, entered the room. Link stood up straighter, a little surprised at what the king looked like. He had expected a big man like Zelda's father. He felt a little uneasy with the king staring at him with such, such coldness, as if the king didn't feel any emotion.

"Link, I would be honored to introduce you to King Snarsis Cylenth Rasmeritanth the Third of Zinatia," Zelda said, stepping out of the way, "King Snarsis, I would like to introduce you to Link, our most honored warrior." Link bowed, while the king merely nodded his head, looking over Link.

"So this is he, your most trusted and fiercest warrior?" the King asked quietly, Zelda nodding her head in reply, "I see. The Princess was telling me that you would like to accompany me and my people back to Zinatia, for your own reasons. She also told me that you would rather tell me why you want to come in."

"Yes, I would very much like to come with you, Your Highness." Link replied. He began to tell him of the 'Black Sun,' the king all the while still observing Link. The king lowered his head slightly, his mind somewhere else.

"Yes, I can see your reason Link, but you must do me one thing before I let you, you must agree to do one thing," the King said, staring back up at Link, his sharp look softening.

"What is it Your Highness?" Link asked.

"You must help me. There is a plight plaguing our people, a great and terrible force that has ravaged my land for countless decades. This evil has no name, and we have forgotten why it is here. I ask of you to help me, my people, in exterminating this evil. That is why I am searching for the fiercest warriors across the land. Already, many have fallen, but what the Princess told me on our way over, you sound more than a match for the Evil. Will you help us Link?" the King asked, quietly and soft.

Link nodded, saying, "Yes, Your Highness, I will assist in your plight."

The next three days were spent raising supplies, and preparing for the overall journey back to Zinatia. Link himself was a tad nervous, going to a new land and facing new dangers, but then again, he was used to that sort of thing. He wrote a letter to his 'family' back in Ordon Village, explaining that he was going away for a long while, again, and shouldn't expect to hear from him.

On the forth day, the precession of Zinatian's, and Link, left Castle Town, heading east. The precession did not leave unnoticed however. Crowds of people flung confetti and played instruments, and also showering teh Zinatian's in small gifts and treats. The towns' people kept cheering even after the precession left the town, until they were out of eyesight. The townsfolk then started cleaning up, and started to go on with their normal lives. Princess Zelda stood at her balcony, watching the long line disappear into the distance.

"Please be careful Link, not only for Hyrule, but for her also." Zelda said, returning to her chamber.

* * *

The precession's final sighting of Hyrule was that of the Zora's, lined up along the path leading through the mountains. As the King's horse came to the first Zora, he cheered. Then, all along the line, Zora's cheered in one large 'hooray.' The magnitude of the shouting and cheering was almost deafening, sounding like thunder. The Zinatians waved and cheered back, adding to the sheer volume of noise. The sound of the Zora's shouts followed the Zinatians far along the mountain pass, until all at once it stopped; the Zora's deciding to resume their duties. 

On the other side of the mountain pass laid a field, filled with rolling hills, covered in lush green grass. A dirt path lay ahead of the precession, the path lined with rocks of different shades and sizes. Some were blue, others purple, and still more colors that looked like a combination. Some of the rocks were pebble sized, other were about as large as Link's head. Link felt strange in this land, as if a connection had been severed. He looked at his hand, wondering if the Triforce of Courage still lay there, giving him strength when he needed it. Of course it would still be there, the entire land was created by the three goddesses.

The first day was uneventful; the Zinatian's traveling through the grassy plains. When they stopped for the night however, is when Link began noticing a slight change in the scenery. Off the path about a hundred feet stood grey ruins, long since abandoned and destroyed either by war or nature. Link tied up Epona near one of the fires, and went to explore this ruin. When he got there, he could only wonder what this ancient ruin once was.

The ruin itself was tall, about three stories high, and resembled a house a nobleman would own in the country side of Hyrule. The roof had long since been missing; whatever was left of it was just a couple shingles. The front doors were missing, but Link guessed they must have been rather large and impressive. He walked inside, looking around in the fading sunlight. The sun's fading rays illuminated part of the inside, specks of dust floating in the rays. He has a quick flashback, remembering the clam stillness of Snowpeak, the snow gently falling down the open ceiling.

He shook his head, and started exploring the house. He had to be careful moving around, because some of the walls and upper floors were held up by mere columns or boards. He stopped in the ruins of what he thought might have been the dining room; a large bulge in the center might have been a table. He began looking through the rubble, hoping to find something. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he needed something to sell for some rupees. He threw down a piece of rubble in fury, there was literally nothing left. He decided he better get back to the camp before it became too dark.

When he got back, the sun had completely set the only light coming from the stars and the fires set up along the precession. He was glad that Epona was unharmed, he was around strangers, he didn't really know these people. He grabbed his sleeping roll off, and set it up. As he was doing this, he got a good look at the Zinatians themselves. They looked a lot like the Hylians, but they did not have pointed ears.

He decided he would have more time to observe the Zinatians in the morning, and further along the trip, since he heard it would be close to a week before they reached the capital. Link pulled the blanket over him, facing away from the fire, and spent his first night in the land of Zinatia.

* * *

Well, the journey got off to a slow start, but I decided to take some advice and seperate the journey there into two seperate chapters. The next chapter I revised to include a little more of the landscape of Zinatia. I'm most likely going to end it the same way though. 


	7. Zinatia

Zinatia

A sharp scream echoed through the camps. Link arose with a start, the screaming now increasing in volume as people discovered what was happening. He looked around him; a dense fog had surrounded the camps. He quickly got up, unhooking his shield and drawing his sword. He stood there, peering into the fog that surrounded him, waiting for whatever adversary lay in wait. The screaming stopped, and all was silent again. Link breathed slowly, the tension in the air rising as the citizens waited.

Another scream, this time to Links right. He rushed over, and thought he saw something with a long tail leap into the fog. He stared at where it might have been, and then gasped as he saw what lay before him. A woman laid there, her arms and legs tore up, covered in red. A blanket had been put over her shoulders, the woman now grasping it tightly.

"Marith, what did you see?" one of the men surrounding her asked, holding the woman by the shoulders. The woman called Marith barely whispered, the man having to lean in close to find out what was spoken. The man leaned back, and stood up, saying to the crowd, "It seems like we are being attacked by the Schlieffs once more."

The crowd gasped, then dispersed in a chaotic panic, families quickly grabbing their belongings and stuffing them in carts, preparing their horses for travel. Link could only stand their, wondering exactly what a "Schlieff" was. The man who had announced to the crowd spotted Link, and walked over to him.

"You lad! Why do you not make haste? Hurry, prepare your things for we must be quick!" the man exclaimed, turning Link around and pushing him forward. Link pushed the mans hands away, and turned to face him.

"What is going on here sir? What exactly is a "Schlieff?" Why are they so feared?" Link asked in a confused tone, his sword hanging limp in his hand. The man was just about to reply, when suddenly Link heard a growl, and the man was no longer there.

Link looked to his left, the answer to his first question lay before him. Before Link was a strange looking creature, no bigger than a medium sized dog, but it's legs were long and bony. The creatures tail was long, a thin sheet of flesh barely covering bones. It's neck was long, and from what he could see, had a pointed head at the front. Link could only stare in shock as the creature tore at the man's face and hands as he tried to defend himself.

Then, Link swept in, Ordon sword held high, and swung down the blade, aiming for the creature's torso. He missed, the creature darting away at the last second, the blade digging into the man's thigh instead. He pulled it out, oblivious to the man's screams. He turned to face the beast, shield held in front, sword ready to strike. The rest of the creature was revealed to him, and he suddenly knew why the people feared this animal so much. Piercing red eyes glared back at him, the creature's mouth wide open. Inside were two rows of razor sharp teeth, ready to bit into whatever dared face him.

Both the creature and Link stood there, staring at each other, formulating a plan. Link stared at the creature's eyes, those glowing, bright red eyes. He knew that this creature probably saw him as its next meal, or an obstacle in the way of it's current one. A deep growl came from the creature's throat, saliva dripping out of its mouth. The creature bit at Link, then ran back into the fog, Link peering out from his shield. He wondered why the creature didn't attack.

He suddenly remembered the man that had been attacked, and quickly rushed over to him, dropping his sword and shield. He carefully approached the man, bending down on one knee, checking the man's injuries. They were severe, and Link cutting into the man's leg didn't help either. Luckily he hadn't severed it, but there was a deep wound. Someone pushed him out of the way, and he saw that it was the healers that did so. He backed up, grabbing his equipment, and walked back to Epona, sheathing the sword and putting the shield back on. As he stroked Epona, calming her, he noticed that the fog had lifted, he didn't even notice when.

The precession left the campsite in a hurry, going as fast as they could to try and put that awful place behind him. Link could see woman crying, and men comforting them. Link overheard some of their conversations, and discovered that they were mourning those who had been lost in the Schlieff attack. Now he fully understood why they were feared, they must create that fog, and then attack, then quickly disappear into the fog again. He thought that the plan was cowardly, but at the same time it was brilliant. Their plan was set up so that only their prey was injured, and not themselves.

It was now the second day after the Schlieff attack, and the Zinatians had recovered, putting their wounded in carts and burying their dead. He happened to observe one of these burials, and it was a strange sight to him. The family of the deceased stood around the body, the oldest standing above the deceased head. They all held hands, and started chanting in a strange language. A soft light came from the dead person's body, completely covering the body in seconds. It then rose in the air, and split into thousands of tiny balls of light. The balls came together, and started swirling in a cylindrical shape, diving into the ground. As the last of the balls of light disappeared into the ground, a rectangle of light appeared on the ground, turning the grass into a pure golden color. The family said their final goodbyes, and left the rectangle of gold.

Along the way, the precession passed near a group of ruins. Link was intrigued by these ruins, for it looked like the remains of a city. As far as he could see, the ruins surrounded a hill, and on top of the hill stood a tower, at least twenty feet high. He wondered what the ruins looked like back when they were still standing. He imagined people rushing through the streets, stalls set up on the roads, merchants selling their wares. His thought reminded him of how Castle Town was then, a bustling center for travelers.

The rest of the journey remained uneventful, the landscape hardly changed from the rolling hills. Luckily there were no more Schlieff attacks, although bits of fog in the horizon worried the entire precession, including Link. One thing did happen that Link would never quite figure out. The precession had come across a river, and was walking along a bridge that was high above the river. Link reached the center of the bridge, when a small orb of purple light appeared in front of his face. He watched, amazed, as it danced in circles in front of him, and started dancing around his body. He tried to follow the orb as it went behind him, came up from his shoulder, and went behind him again. He reached behind him with one hand, and brought it back, not finding it. He looked around him, apparently no one else had seen this strange purple orb.

The rolling hills eventually became a flattened out plain, the grass here was lighter in color and close to the ground. On the horizon, Link saw a small white dot. He wondered what it was, and asked a Zinatian close to him.

"That is the central spire of the capitol of our Zinatia. It will take us two days to reach it though, for the spire reaches high into the sky, higher than even some of the mountains," the man said, looking back to the horizon, "That is where most of this group have their homes."

The man was right; it took the precession two long days to finally reach the capitol. When the city came into full view, Link was shocked beyond words. The spire reached several hundred feet into the air, the city spiraling upward, ending at about three-fourths the way up. The main gates were at least forty feet high, and had to be twenty feet deep. As Link entered the grand city, he was struck at the amount of people on the streets, on top of buildings, in the buildings, all cheering at the return of their king.

The king actually mustered a smile, waving at the crowd with small, practiced waves. The precession took a left, taking a street which spiraled upwards. They continued all the way up, until the road flattened out, heading north towards the spire. There lay a castle, sitting at the base of the spire. The castle was just as impressive as the city, with massive walls and turrets, almost impenetrable. The large gates opened up, and Link and the King and his servants entered, leaving the rest of the townsfolk to their business.

Link dismounted Epona, patting her as he watched her being taken away, looking around at the beautiful courtyard. It resembled Hyrule Castles, except it was bigger and had more decoration. The King approached Link, a look of exhaustion on his face.

"Come Link, we shall rest first in the Castle, and then we shall fest in celebration." the King said, wrapping an arm around Links shoulders, leading him into the castle. When they entered, Link expected just the same grandeur as the rest of the city, and there was. Lined up around the chamber were large portraits of past Kings and Queens, Princes and Dukes, and other important figures. There was one in particular that caught his attention, but before he could ask, the King swept him down the hall, and led him to his chambers.

"This is you shall be staying Link," the King said, showing Link his chambers, "I shall send my servant to wake you when it is time for the fest. Now rest up, and we shall discuss this matter of yours." The King then left, as silent as he could be. Link looked around, appalled at the size of his chambers. They were at least twice as big as Zelda's, and he thought hers were big. The floors and walls were all made out of marble, polished so fine it was as if he was looking into a mirror. All along the walls were murals of ancient battles, and epic kings. He spied his bed, which was a four poster, a silk curtain covering it. He guessed it must at least be a king size, but this was just a guest room. Who knew how big the King's room was?

He pulled back the curtains, sitting on the edge of the bed, covered in fine sheets, with fluffed pillows awaiting his head. As he took off his boots, he looked at the mural right in front of him, and he saw something peculiar. He stood up, leaving his boots on the bed, and walked over to it. There he saw an artifact, which looked like a staff, held above the head of a figure, clad in black. There was something about how the person's skin was colored, it seemed very familiar. He gasped as he finally realized where this color came from.

It was the skin of the Twili.


	8. A Legend is Told

A Legend Is Told

Link could only stare at the pictograph, wondering what this meant. He didn't know how to accept this; he had always thought the Twilight Realm was only connected to Hyrule, and nowhere else. If this pictograph was part of Zinatian history, then that meant that the Twilight Realm was not only connected to Hyrule, but Zinatia as well. If this was true, then that meant that there was another way of accessing the Realm, besides the Mirror of Twilight, which she had shattered three years before. Her. He hadn't thought about her in a while, but fleeting memories came every now and then.

"Midna," he whispered, feeling himself drop to his knees, "I might be able to see Midna again, and maybe this time I might be able to tell her how I feel."

He sat there for a moment longer, contemplating this new idea, this daring new idea. He got himself up, and stretched. He was tired from the long journey, and just wanted to rest. He took off both his sword and shield, setting them next to his boots. He walked back over to the bed, and laid on it, his head resting on the pillows. The bed felt very soft, almost like he was sleeping on a cloud. He didn't realize it, but he had fallen asleep, still fully garbed in his clothes.

A soft noise awakened him. He opened one eye, and tried to see what caused the noise without having to move his head. He closed it again, relishing in this brief moment of relaxation. He heard the noise again, this time it was closer. Link sat straight up this time, and looked around to see what had caused it. His gaze rested on a young girl, who blushed deeply and quickly ran out, slamming the door behind her.

"Huh, what a strange girl," Link said, scratching his head. He got off the bed, and walked around the room, searching for some other connection to Hyrule. He didn't find any, but he did find a window that he hadn't noticed before. He walked over to it, and opened it, and gazed out. What he saw was breathtaking, for he could literally see objects miles away. It would be easy if the castle were under siege, since they would be able to see their enemy long before they arrived. He turned, hearing the door open once again.

"Um, uh, sir Link?" the girl muttered, clenching her dress worriedly, "The King requests your presence at dinner."

"Oh! Is it time already?" Link said, closing the window and walking towards her, "Well, tell him I will be along shortly then."

The girl curtsied slightly, and then quickly ran out of the room. Either she was nervous, or scared, Link would never know. He walked back to the bed, and slipped his boots on. He stood up, and exited his room, a bit surprised to see a woman standing in front of the door. She bowed her head, and held out her hand, indicating that he should follow her. Link nodded back, and followed the woman.

Link was amazed at the interior of the Zinatian Castle, for upon its walls hung massive portraits. The portraits were of kings of old, great battles, epic heroes. He kept looking for some connection to that tiny pictograph from his bedchamber, but for now he didn't see any Twili hanging on the walls. The woman led him down another chamber, and this one held even more objects than the previous. Portraits still hanged from the walls, but they were accompanied by strange pots on pedestals, large suits of armor, and an array of weapons. Some of the weapons were simple enough, bows, broadswords, rapiers, but there were some Link had never seen before. There were curved swords, lances that glowed with a cool blue light, mist flowing from its shaft.

The woman stopped at a grand door, at least fifteen feet tall and seven across. She put her hand out once more, smiling at Link and nodding her head. Apparently this was the dining hall, and Link's final destination for the evening. He pushed open the heavy door, and was greeted by a wondrous sight. Three huge tables, at least fifty feet long and a mere five across, stood in the center of the massive chamber, the arches supporting the ceiling high above. Link at once spotted the King's chair, for it sat at the middle chamber and was the most prominent. The throne was made out of the finest materials, dyed a deep red and gold, with some hues of green. The King was already at his throne, holding a golden cup laden with red jewels. He stood up, and the rest of the denizens in the large room did, each holding up their cups.

"This, my fellow countrymen," King Snarsis said, although his voice was soft, it echoed throughout the chamber, "This is Link, our savior. He is the greatest warrior of the land of Hyrule, and he has agreed to rid of the Evil that has been plaguing our land. From now on, let us raise our cups carefree, for we shall be rid of the plague once and for all. To Zinatia!"

"To Zinatia!" the rest of the crowd shouted, taking a drink from their glasses. The King then motioned for Link to come, for he had saved a special spot near the king. As Link walked to the end of the table, he saw that all the men and women there were all wearing fancy robes and gowns. Link finally arrived at the head of the table, and he was warmly greeted. Men shook his hand and patted his back; women gazed in the direction of this handsome foreigner.

"Link, our savior," the King said, leaning in close, "We must talk after dinner, in private, for it is about your mission." Link nodded in agreement, and watched as the King stood once more, "We thank the Goddess for giving us another bountiful season, a season bountiful enough for all the people of Zinatia to share. We thank the Goddess for giving us another day to live. We thank the Goddess for bringing us our savior to help banish our land. To the Goddess, and long live Zinatia!" the King then shouted, which seemed out of character to Link.

The rest of the room shouted, and began to divulge themselves in the many dishes and treats that were set up all along the tables. He heard the clatter of plates and silverware, the omnipresent sound of on going chatter, watched as people filled their cups to the brim with a strange, thick golden liquid. Link reached for what looked to be a stuffed pig, for much of the meat had already been taken. After a few more items, Link looked at his plate. On it he had the stuffed pig, a simple dinner roll, and a strange crustacean that seemed to look like a cross between a snail and an Octorock. He picked up the crustacean first, and bit into the soft flesh. What came was a very sweet taste, and that taste stayed long after the food was followed.

As he ate, he overheard some of the Zinatians talking. He overheard chatter about recent policies other kingdoms had made, what was the current fashion, how people spent their social lives, their love lives. Link ate his food in silence, for the King busy chatting with a rather portly fellow with multiple rings on his fingers. He figured this man must be of some great importance if he was sitting next to the king. The portly man and the King looked at Link briefly, and then resumed their talk. Link was troubled by this, the way they stared at him indicated that there was something much more in store for him then just banishing this evil.

It seemed like hours before the banquet was over. The King then stood up, quickly followed by everyone else, and left the room through a door behind the throne. Link followed after him, and so did the portly fellow, while everyone else exited out through the door Link had come in. The portly man had somehow gotten ahead of Link, and he followed close behind him through the dimly lit corridor. This hall was small, a mere seven feet tall, and an arms length wide, and had no decorations. Of course, this was compared to the rest of the castle halls.

Link heard a door open, and tried to see from behind the portly man, but couldn't really. He was taller than Link and much bigger too. He followed as they entered a room, a room that was twice the size of Links. He closed the door behind him, and gazed at the marvel before him. The room had two levels; the second had just a few steps to get to. The kings bed laid on this second level, and truth be told, it wasn't much larger than Links. Tiled along the walls were murals, just like the ones in Links room. He noticed the same pictographs that were in his, but there were some more that he didn't recognized, and these had more Twili in them. Link heard voices, one he recognized to be the King's, and the other he guessed to be the portly man's.

"Link," the King said sharply, and Link turned, looking at the pair, "This is Cylan Von, and he is our head historian." Both Cylan and Link gave each other a slight bow, and then the King continued, "He shall inform you on all matters relating the Evil that you are to vanquish. Cylan?"

"Humph, thank you Your Highness," Cylan said, running a hand along his belly, "Come, let us take a seat first, humph." He walked over to a large table with several high chairs surrounding it. Covering the table were books of various sizes, and also maps with a strange lettering dotting it's every surface. Cylan took a seat at the far end of the table, where there were several books piled up around it.

"Humph, you are Link correct?" Cylan said, taking off his rings. Link nodded in reply as he listened to Cylan, "Well, humph, the story begins about the time before our kingdom began, which would be eons ago. The Goddess Nayru came from the heavens, and created this land. She created the mountains and the rivers and the forests, and us, the Zinatians. The Goddess Nayru then gave us food, and told us a message, saying that 'Your people shall live well, and shall never run out of food to eat. You shall always have a place to stay, for I am always watching over you.' Also, she gave us a great relic which had incomparable powers. This relic is said to be a spherical shape, humph, and swirls with the text of Ancient Zinatia.

"Then as our records show, two thousand years ago a great Evil came from the depths of the Earth, bringing with it darkness, where no life exists except its own. This terror swept across the land like wild fire, destroying all in its path. People started doubting the words of the Goddess Nayru, wondering if she had forgotten them, humph. Then a man with pale skin bearing a golden triangle came, and fought this Evil. The battle raged on for many a day, until the man eventually sealed away the Evil in the orb of great power itself. It is said that the hero than broke the orb, vanquishing Evil so it would never return humph, others say that he hid the orb in the most isolated of places, so that none shall feast upon the power it possessed, humph.

"When the hero returned, he was greeted as a champion; he was almost god-like in the eyes of the people. The people offered to make him the king, but the man refused. He held up his hand, the golden triangle glowing on his hand, and said, 'Fair people, I can not become your king, for there is always evil in the land, and I shall always be there to vanquish it. Pick someone that is more suitable to rule your kingdom, for I am not.' With those words, humph, he left Zinatia, never to be seen again. Now, the Evil is back, and is terrorizing the land once again. We have sent the greatest warriors to try to vanquish this Evil, humph, but none have succeed, matter in fact they have never returned. The people are starting to doubt, wondering when a savior like the man from long ago will come again."

With that, Cylan sat back, letting Link absorb the tale. Both the King and Cylan had already heard the tale many times throughout their lives, and knew it by heart. Link however, was worried about the golden triangle, for he wondered if it meant a part of the Triforce, which he bared. He looked at his hand, and was surprised as the Triforce appeared on his hand, the triangle he bore glowing the brightest. He tried to keep his excitement from both the King and Cylan; he would show them in time. The triangle faded away, and he looked back up at the two.

"Well, I can see why a savior is so important, but you don't expect me to just go out and fight this thing right now, do you?" he asked, his voice wavering, "I mean, before I had certain goals I had to accomplish, certain items I had to obtain before facing evil. Is there anything like that here?"

The King silently sat there as he looked at Cylan, expecting him to reply to Links question.

"Why, humph, I believe there is," Cylan said, browsing through the assortment of books around him, "There is a little known text, humph, that describes the journey the man had to take before fighting the Evil. Ah, here it is!" Cylan found a scroll, and unfurled it, looking over the text, "Well, this is it alright, humph, but since the travel you must take requires extreme physical prowess, I am afraid I can not go, but there is someone who can, and they can read Ancient Zinatian. I shall send them along tomorrow to meet you." Cylan finished, putting the scroll back onto the table.

The King then stood up, and turned to Link, "I believe that you should require some rest, some time to think things through. Also, there are some important matters that are only between Cylan and I, so I would kindly ask you to leave?"

Link got up, nodding in agreement, "Thank you Your Highness, and thank you Cylan, for telling me your tales." Link then looked around the room, spying the door he came in from. He thought there must be another way out, and he saw it. He walked over to it, bowed once more to both the King and Cylan, and walked out. He found he was in a grand hallway, and there was a woman waiting at the door. Not the one that escorted him before, but this one looked very similar to her.

As she lead him back to his room, Link began to wonder about the journey ahead, 'Maybe I shouldn't have come here after all,' Link thought to himself, staring down at his feet, 'All the other warriors didn't come back, what would make me so special? Just because I am a keeper of a piece of the Triforce doesn't automatically make me a savior, does it? Who knows how big Zinatia is, I might get lost, or I might get killed!'

Link almost ran into the woman as she stopped, pointing out that they had arrived at his room. Link entered it, and immediately fell onto the bed, almost drifting off into a deep slumber. Both the banquet and the story behind the Evil had worn him out and also the fretting he did on his way back to his room. He took one last gaze at the pictograph on the wall; the one he now knew was Zinatia's Hero from long ago. He let his head fall back, and this time, he let the sleep overtake him.


	9. The First Day

Insert Title

Dawn found Link already awake, stripped down to his leggings. He stood at the open window, looking out upon the plains of Zinatia. The sun was just rising, casting rays upon the plains. They looked like a carpet, the mix of green and gold stripes. He sighed; he had already begun missing Hyrule, its homely feeling. Here in Zinatia, he felt out of place, almost uncomfortable. The only person he knew here was the King, but Link would be leaving him soon. He would be leaving of this, the capitol, the grand rooms, the filling banquets. He would soon leave to live a life he was used to, out there in wild living off of the land could provide him with.

"Zelda must be worried," he muttered, leaning against the windowsill, "She must be worried about me terribly." He stared back out onto the Zinatian landscape, seeing the change that had just happened. The stripes were gone, the sun now illuminating the rest of the world. He watched as the sky changed colors as the sun rose, this was a sight he was not going to forget soon. "But what about Midna?" he asked, "She must be the one that is really worrying, for it's been three years. With Zelda, I've only been gone a couple weeks. I wonder if Midna even remembers me."

He sighed, and walked back over to his bed, and started putting on his clothes. It didn't take him long, it still bothered him that they were still tight on him. He would have to ask someone somewhere to help him fix it, because he had no knowledge of sewing. He sat down on the edge of the bed, lifting his head up and staring once more at the pictograph.

"So Hero, you had a piece of the Triforce, even though you're a Twili?" Link asked to no one, "Well, how did you get it? Why? Was it just some celestial fluke like Ganondorf?" He sat there on the edge of his bed, still wondering about the Hero from long ago. His thinking was disturbed by a soft knock on the door, followed by a voice.

"Um, Sir Link? Is this your room? Cylan sent me, if that means anything." The voice said. It sounded like a girl, Link half-expected it to be a boy.

"Oh, please, come in!" Link said, standing up, "The door's open, by the way."

The door opened, and then entered a lady. She seemed to be about Link's age, if not just a little bit older. She wasn't really skinny, nor was she big, she was kind of in between, thin, if you will. Her hair was short, only coming down to a little past her shoulders. Link noticed that she wasn't wearing a dress. All the woman and girls he had seen wore dresses, but this girl wore leggings, brown ones to be exact. Covering her torso was a white, button up cotton shirt, long-sleeved. She had the sleeves rolled up to just bellow her elbows; she reminded Link of Ilia, just a little bit though. Link noticed that she was carrying an armful of scrolls of all different sizes and materials. There were some that were parchment, one looked like it was a rolled up leaf, and another that was black.

"Hello, I am Mylanth Crin, Cylan's assistant," the girl said, approaching Link. He moved over on the bed, and she took the seat, continuing, "Cylan told me about how you want to go on the quest of the Hero, right? Well, I'm here to explain that to you and answer any questions. So, which shall we start off with?"

"I have a question that has been bothering me," Link said, turning towards Mylanth, "Are you aware that the Hero is from a race called the Twili, and they live in a shadow world of our own?" His tone was serious, he was half nervous to hear the answer.

"A shadow world?" Mylanth asked, tilting her head slightly, "Why, I think it is written somewhere that the Hero came from a place he called Twilight, or something like that."

Link's heart started racing, "How did he get here, into Zinatia? The Mirror of Twilight? Another way? Please, tell me!" Link said, his speech speeding up. Mylanth back away, she was getting a little nervous.

"I-I don't know Sir Link," she said, her voice small, "The Hero never said how he got here, all he mentioned was the name of his country. Please calm down, you are scaring me."

Link's face softened, and he backed away from Mylanth, "I am sorry. It's just; a dear friend of mine went into the Twilight Realm, destroying the only way to it. Since then, I've been wondering if there was any other way, and I believe that here in Zinatia the key may be found. Once again, I am sorry."

"Don't be Link, I can understand your plight," Mylanth said, "I have lost friends to the hidden wonders here in Zinatia, and often times I have looked for a way to bring them back. Let us continue onto to brighter things, shall we?" Mylanth picked up a scroll, and unfurled it, holding it in both hands. Link stared in curiosity as she looked it over. She eventually placed it on the bed between them, facing Link.

"This is a map of Zinatia," Mylanth said, "As you can see, it is very large. The arrows refer to the Hero's journey, and these marks indicate important stops on the Hero's journey. Are you following?" Link nodded. By that map, Zinatia was easily three times the size of Hyrule. Mylanth continued, "His first stop was here, at the gorge of Lantus. That's were we'll be going first. It is said that at the gorge, there lies an orb, not the one the Hero sealed away the Evil in, but a different one. This orb was said to be able to grant the user magnificent strength and speed for three days. You can see why the Hero wanted it, but there is a catch. The orb can only be used once every one hundred years, so unless someone has used it, we're out of luck." Mylanth stopped, and looked up at Link, waiting for him to say something. He did, but this was a question.

"This Evil, I've been hearing about it a lot, but what does it look like? I've been wondering about that the most. How am I supposed to fight something if I don't even know what it looks like?" Link asked, a curious expression on his face.

"Well," Mylanth said, "The Evil is said to take many forms, often splitting into multiple parts to fight. It's most common form is that of a woman, tall as a building and long swirling hair. Everything about her is shrouded in black; her clothes, skin, hair, everything."

"Thanks, that helps," Link said, feeling a little better, "Well, when do we leave? You can explain more on the way there, can't you?"

"Oh, yes, I guess I can," Mylanth said, standing up and gathering her scrolls, "We'll be leaving shortly. I can't tell you how excited I am Sir Link, we are finally going to be free of the Evil!"

Three hours later, Link was once again on the back of Epona, riding down the street towards the main gate. Mylanth rode beside him, riding on an all black mare. Zinatians lined the street, cheering at the top of their lungs, waving handkerchiefs, throwing flowers and confetti. Link waved back, a nervous grin on his face. He felt pressured, these people have been terrorized for ages, what if he failed? If he failed, that Evil might come and destroy these people.

Link sighed; this wasn't like anything he had done before. Sure, he had helped save Hyrule and liberate the people of the Twilight Realm, but that wasn't anything like this, or was it? He reached into his pocket, bringing out a small, black box. The King had given this to him, and Link remembered what he said to him.

"_Here Link, take this," the King said, handing Link small, black box. _

"_What is this Your Highness?" Link asked, moving the box with his hands, eyeing every side. It was normal enough, just a black box, but then he noticed something, there was a small key hole on the top._

"_This is a special weapon Link," the King said, his left hand held tight, "This has been passed down from King to King, and is to only be held by a King. It's main purpose was to rival the powers of the Evil, to vanquish her forever. It can only be used once, and even then you must be very careful. For this weapon contains an extraordinary power, and you could lose yourself to it. If that happens, then your judgment will be clouded, and you will be no different than the Evil herself."_

_Link gulped, putting the box in his pocket. The King extended his hands, grabbing Link's and putting something in them. Link looked at it, and saw that it was a very tiny key, the key to the box. He stared at it, also putting it in his pocket, the same one that held the box. Link bowed one last time to the king, and made is way out to the stables, where he hoped onto Epona._

Link put the box back into his pocket, continuing to wave at the townspeople. He still couldn't believe that a place like this existed, that so many people lived here. He guessed this town could easily fit most of Hyrule's denizens. He guessed that magic must have helped build this town, if not, and then it must have taken generations to build. He looked behind him, at the spire that towered over all the land. The spire must have been built and supported by magic, for surely winds must make it sway the tiniest bit.

He looked in front of him, seeing that there was a large crowd at the gate. The crowd parted as Link and Mylanth came through, closing in behind him. From the end of the road to the gate, Link and Mylanth were surrounded by townspeople on all sides. Link breathed a sigh of relief as he finally made it out of the gate, the people staying inside. He looked behind him once more, seeing the excited faces of the crowd. He hoped those faces would still be there, that he wouldn't fail and all those people slaughtered.

"I…Li….Link!" Mylanth shouted, getting Link's attention. He looked at her, showing that he had her attention, "Finally, it looked like you dazed off or something. Anyway, I think I should tell you a little more about the orb…" Mylanth's voice drifted off as she grabbed a book out of an overflowing bag. She rummaged through it, and brought out a torn and apparently burnt rolled up piece of paper, held together by a bright red string. She undid the string, putting it in her pocket, and unfurled it.

"Now, the orb is said to be guarded by a village of a strange tribe. Not much is known about this tribe, except what is documented by the Hero," Mylanth said, looking over the paper, "He said here that he had to 'partake a ritual of the strangest kind; they danced around a circle of rock, and placed my in the center. They did give me a strange herb, one of the likes I had never set eyes on before. I do not remember much of what happened afterwards, except that I held the Orb in my hands, on the top of the Gorge.' Strange, isn't it? I've done some research, but I haven't been able to find any herb anywhere that has these kinds of effects. Who knows Link, maybe you have to go through the same thing as the Hero?"

Link nervously laughed, that he wasn't looking for. He scanned the horizon, looking to see if there was any sign of attack, most likely the telltale fog of the Schlieffs. He wanted to know more about them, but decided to wait until they made camp, or if they stopped before then.

The rest of the day was uneventful, except for the occasional sighting of a bird or a rabbit. If it was a rabbit, Link would try to track it, but most of the time it was either far gone or escaped right from Link's grasp. Mylanth teased him the rest of the day when one rabbit jumped into Link's face, frightening him; he ended up with scratches as result. They made camp inside a ring of small bushes, about ten feet wide in all directions from the middle. The sun was just setting as they did so, and Link, sitting on his bedroll, watched the colors of the sky. He thought of that one day, that day that Rusl took him to the spring to talk to him about the trip to Castle Town.

"_It was probably that one conversation that started this whole adventure. Maybe if I hadn't agreed to go to Castle Town, maybe this wouldn't have happened, but that wouldn't have stopped Bulbo". _Link thought, watching as Mylanth poked the embers, putting new brush on it to keep it alive. He crawled under his blanket, away from the fire, and closed his eyes. Right now, all he wanted to do was rest, take in everything that he had learned, everything that was expected of him.


	10. An Odd Night

An Odd Night

The full moon illuminated the rolling hills of the plains, revealing anything that stepped into its path. The night was eerily quiet, not a cricket chirped, not a deer rustled the bushes, no bat flapped is wings. Mylanth observed this as she lay on the ground, her head supported by her pack. She felt uncomfortable, like something was wrong, like something was going to burst through the bushes, and kill them both.

She shook her head, moving so she now lay on her side, and brought her blanket closer around her. She closed her eyes, making an attempt to fall asleep. A few moments later, she sighed, she couldn't get to sleep. She sat up, tossing the blanket away from her, and brought her knees to her chest. She looked across the smoldering campfire, watched as Link's blanket rose and fell with his breaths.

'How can he sleep so peacefully, especially in an open area like this?' Mylanth wondered as she continued to stare at Link, 'Whenever we've had to camp out on the plains, I've always had this nervous feeling, how does he gets over it?'

Link moved slightly, mumbling something under his breath. Mylanth watched as he rolled over on his back, his eyes still closed, but they were twitching. She watched as he fidgeted, incomprehensible words coming from his mouth. He stopped, moving around so his back faced Mylanth once again.

'I wonder why he asked about a "Twilight Realm," and another way to get there.' Mylanth pondered, 'Something must have happened to him, but I wonder what?' She lay back down, grabbing her blanket and brought it over her. She closed her eyes, her mind still on Link, and finally drifted off to sleep.

Link however, was not having a pleasant night. He had dreamed of Midna once again, but the dream he had was not the nightmare he had at Renado's house. This one was not as frightful, but it still disturbed him. He dreamt of that fateful day in the Arbiter's Grounds, when Midna left him.

_The portal to the Twilight Realm swirled its mystic patterns upon the large black rock, the Triforce standing still in the very center of the design. Three young adults stood on the pedestal that held the Mirror of Twilight, the circular tablet that allowed access to the Twilight Realm. One wore a tunic of dream, which lay over a coating of chain mail. Another wore a dress of white's and pinks, and the last wore a black robe, covering her pale skin. _

_Midna, the one in the black robe, started saying something, but no sounds came from her mouth. A single tear raced down her cheek, and she held up her hand, the palm towards the Mirror. Midna then spoke again, and this time it was heard. _

"_Link, I, see you later," was the only words that here heard. She lifted her hand, and the tear lifted off her face and slowly advanced forward. The tear then melted into the Mirror, and nothing happened. Suddenly, a large "crack" was heard, and both Link and Zelda looked at the Mirror, and stared in shock. The Mirror had several large cracks, and those cracks were spreading like lighting across the Mirror, until it exploded into many very small pieces. _

_Link looked back at the place Midna was standing, but she wasn't there. She had already climbed the stairs of light, standing on the platform on the top. Their eye's locked for the final time, and Link would never forget that. Midna raised her hand right before her body started disintegrating, the pieces being sucked into the circular patterns on the rock. _

_The stairs disappeared, and so did the swirling, circular patterns on the chain bound rock. Link stared at the spot where Midna was just seconds before, not believing what he had just seen. The girl he had grown to love, gone. _

He opened his eyes, staring at the bush in front of him. He sighed in disappointment, it wasn't morning yet, and he doubted that it was going to come any time soon. If only he didn't have to dream about _that _day again. He wasn't going to go back to sleep just yet, better to get his mind off of such things beforehand.

He propped himself onto his elbows, and looked around the camp. Epona and Mylanth's horse lay sleeping hear each other, and Mylanth herself lay on the other side of the now smoldering fire. He found himself staring at her, and turned away, even though he knew she wouldn't know. Yes, he did find her cute, but he loved Midna, didn't he?

He shook his head, that was a question he had dodged as best he could, he didn't want to know the answer. The question still came up ever now and then, but time and time again he refused to answer it. All he knew was that he was looking forward to that day that he would see her again, if that day were to happen. He lay back down, drawing his blanket over him, and closed his eyes, welcoming the sleep.

* * *

I would like to announce that I am putting this story on a hiatus for the time being. I will return to it, do not worry, but it won't be soon. 


	11. Lantus Gorge

Lantus Gorge

A bird sang her song as the sun peeked out over the horizon, spreading its golden light over the plains. Link stirred, lazily opening an eye and staring at the sky above him. Amber colored clouds drifted slowly with the breeze, their destination determined by the wind. He groaned, pushing himself up and bringing his legs in so he sat cross-legged. He stretched; he had forgotten what sleeping on the ground was like, not having to do so for three years. He looked around the camp, seeing Epona and Mylanth's horse grazing on the other side of the bushes. It was then that he felt the heat from the fire, and moved his gaze over, seeing Mylanth crouched next to it, holding a small iron pan over it.

"Oh, good morning Sir Link," Mylanth said, smiling bright, "I hope you like eggs and bacon; it's all we have for breakfast." She gave the pan a lift, trying to make the eggs flip in the pan. She didn't succeed, and half of an egg was lying over the side of the pan.

Link chuckled, seeing Mylanth completely botch the flip. She didn't notice intent on finishing breakfast. She did so quickly, and set the pan down on a rock while she walked over to her horse, and grabbed a couple plates from a saddlebag. She walked back, and stopped, seeing that Link was crouched next to the pan, half a fried egg hanging out of his mouth.

"Whap?" he said, trying to talk around the egg. Mylanth looked at him, a small look of disgust on her face. She brushed it away, rubbing her eyes, and crouched down next to him and grabbing the other egg and a couple pieces of bacon with a fork she had also grabbed. By the time she started eating; Link had made his way over to Epona, patted her on the neck and said, "Hey there girl, how're you doing? What's it feel like to be on an actual journey again?" Epona grunted in response, "Well, I'm glad you feel that way, because we're moving out." Link tightened his saddlebags, and watched as Mylanth did the same, and hopped onto Epona, giving her a small kick to set her off on a medium trot, with Mylanth close behind.

* * *

"So, what have you found out about that man in green, the one that has that strange aura around him? What have you found out about him so far?" a female voice softly says to a man on one knee, head bent.

"My Queen, he seems to be from the south, and he is now headed toward Lantus Gorge." He says reverently, knowing that one wrong mistake would get him killed on the spot. He dares not look up, but if he did, he would have seen that the woman, dressed in a long flowing dress, the sleeves coming down just below the shoulders, and a long slit along her left leg, starting from the hip, exposing the pale skin below.

"Is that all? I am disappointed, I was sure that you would be able to figure out more Tyrell." The female says, shifting in her seat, a grand, ornate throne, painted a deep red with gold trimming.

"I apologize, My Queen, but this one is different. We have tried several times to enter the land to the south, but we are repelled for some reason," he says nervously, "It's almost as though the goddess do not want us interfering." He gulped, wondering how the woman would take that last line.

She slowly rose from her seat, and stood there for a moment, and started walking towards Tyrell, crouched only a few feet away. Suddenly, a dark shape appeared from behind the throne, rising up over it and closely following the woman, stopping as she stopped in front of Tyrell. "Rise," she told him, and he did so. At full height, he stood a full half a foot over the woman, who was only five feet. His head was still bowed, but the woman placed a hand on his chin, and lifted his head so her eyes meet his. Her eyes chilled him to the bone, She had no color in them, just black where a normal man might have blue an green.

"I shall give you one week to find out more about this man," the woman continued, the black form now crawling over her body, wrapping around it like vines. The black crept up the arm that held Tyrell's head, and lightly caressed his cheeks. The woman continued, "If I don't like the information that you acquire by the end of the week, I'm not quite sure what will happen."

She released his head, and turned around; lifting out her arms to both sides, and let the black completely covered her body. Tyrell took this as his sign to leave, and he did so, quickly turning on one foot and almost running to the two oak doors at the other end of the room. As soon as he reached the other side of those doors, he leaned against them for a moment, breathing slowly, regaining his nerves. She terrified him that much was true, but at the same time adored her as her loyal servant. His eyes snapped open as he heard a deep, guttural yell, and pushed himself away from the door and rushed down the hall, wanting to be as far away as he could from that chamber.

* * *

The rest of the trip, unfortunately for Link, was uneventful, except for the occasional animal making a noise or a call. Link knew that this peace would not last for long, secretly he was dreading accepting the King's proposal in the first place. During the days they had been traveling, Link was remembered the numerous times where he thought he would have surely lost his life. The fight against the dragon in the City in the Sky was one he would never forget, for not only was he in danger of the dragon, but falling off the stage itself, and landing on the ground thousands of feet below. There were always moments where he was glad he had gone on the quest to save Hyrule. Midna was the one that had taken premise over all the rest. Three years…he wondered if she even remembered him, or even loved him. He sighed, and looked around, seeing that Mylanth had began staring at him.

"We're almost there," she suddenly said, staring ahead of them to a hill not to far away, "As soon as we pass over these low hills, we'll be able to see it. From there, we still have half a day's journey, so we should get there by sundown at the latest."

Link nodded in response, eager to see Lantus Gorge. He wondered if it was like Kakariko Gorge at all. He would soon find out, since they had now reached the hills, and started climbing. Once they reached the top, Link stared in wonder; this was no Kakariko Gorge. Lantus Gorge resembled a large crack in the ground, extending as far as the eye can see to the left and right. The width of the gorge is almost hundred feet, which you would think would be too long for a decent bridge to be built. Thankfully there are stone towers, carved out of the gorge hundreds of years ago, that make it possible to make a bridge from one side of the gorge to a tower, than to the other side. Mylanth pointed to one of these bridges, an older looking one with large, stone pillars at each end.

"That is Lantus Bridge, the very first bridge that spanned the Gorge. It's over 700 hundred years old, and the only pieces that have endured all those years are the stone pillars at each end. Before this bridge was built, people had to walk all the way around the Gorge, which takes about three days. Imagine how thankful the people were when they were able to go directly across the gorge instead of around." Mylanth explained, starting her horse down the hill, "It's probably the most well kept bridge in the country, second to the one that lies directly north, the Bridge of the Goddess Nayru, which leads to the Temple of Nayru on an island in the middle of the Nayble River. Oh, by the way, that'll be our next stop after Lantus Gorge. Oh, and another thing…"

Link followed Mylanth closely, his eyes still trained on the Gorge ahead of him. He felt nervous, that description of a strange herb or drug that the Hero had to take now started to worry him. The Hero had made it out alright, but at what cost? The loss of memory, the Hero didn't remember what happened after all. He saw Mylanth look at him, apparently waiting for an answer to some question he tuned out, and smiled and nodded his head. Mylanth smiled back, and went on to talk more about the various historical spots along the Gorge.

Mylanth was correct, the sun was just settling over the horizon as they made it to the Bridge. Both hopped their mounts, grabbing their blankets, setting them down close to the horses. Link grabbed one of several bundles of wood that were tied to the back of his saddle, and went about to start a campfire. Mylanth grabbed the rabbit that Link had managed to catch that day, and readied it to be cooked over the fire. Both didn't notice the fog until it completely covered them. Mylanth gasped, dropping the half-skinned rabbit on the ground, and Link immediately drew his sword staring into the fog. He thought he saw shapes moving just ahead of him, but they disappeared as quickly as they came. He slowly reached behind him, grabbing his shield and putting it in front of him. As soon as he did so, something jumped straight out of the fog and slammed into Link's shield, pushing him down on the ground.

He opened his eyes, and their in front of him was the glowing red eyes of a Schlieff. He yelled, and made a swing for the beast, but the Schlieff jumped out of the way in time. Link quickly got to his feet, and looked around him. The fog had thickened; he could hardly see a foot in front of him. He looked around, trying to see where the Schlieff went, when it hit him. Mylanth.

"Mylanth?" he shouted, hoping for a reply. He moved forward just a couple steps, his eyes darting to and fro, trying to pierce the fog.

"R-right here L-link," Mylanth stammered. He almost jumped, he had walked right in front of her.

"Okay, just relax Mylanth, everything's going to be-" Link started, but was interrupted when the Schlieff pounced on him from the side. He fell to the instantly, and felt the Schlieff as it stepped on him. It barked viciously, trying to bit Link's face. He held up his shield, panicking, deflecting the Schlieffs bites while trying to find his sword. It must've fell out when the Schlieff hit me, Link thought. He smiled in triumph, his hand closed around the sword, and he slashed at the beast. This time the sword hit, and dug in deep into the Schlieff. The Schlieff gave out one final yelp, and fell to the ground. Link stood up, pulling his sword out, and stood there fro a moment. The fog was still there, even though he had killed the Schlieff, did that mean there were more?

It was then that he heard another Schlieff bark, and Mylanth scream. Link acted immediately, running to where he thought she was. He could barely make out two shapes in the fog, and he could hear the Schlieffs growl as it attacked Mylanth. He ran as fast as he could, holding his shield in front of him and his sword raised high. Suddenly, his piece of the Triforce glowed brightly on his hand, and the fog was dispelled. Link yelled, and swung down the sword onto the Schlieff. It didn't even have time to yelp. Link dropped his sword and shield, and pushed the dead creature aside, and pulled Mylanth up so she was sitting.

The fog had cleared now, and the setting sun illuminating the plains. Link saw Mylanth's arm, the sleeve of her shirt almost non-existent, her arm bloodied and torn. He quickly made his way to Epona, looking through his saddlebags for a bandage of some type. He found exactly what he was looking for, a tight bundle of cloth, and rushed back to Mylanth. He quickly grabbed his water skin and rushed back to Mylanth, who was still sitting on the ground, clutching her arm. He pulled the stopper out, and poured water on her arm, washing away the blood. Her arm wasn't as bad as he thought it was, but it was still serious, there were cuts and scratches everywhere. He unbound the cloth, letting it unroll, and started wrapping it around her arm. He cut off the end of the bandage, tying it tight.

"There, that should do it. Now, I'll get dinner ready, alright?" Link asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. She nodded in response, and stayed where she was as Link managed to bring back Epona and Mylanth's horse. He dragged the dead Schlieffs far away from camp, just as a precaution. Link fixed up the rabbit, and soon after she was done, Mylanth laid down and went to bed. Link stayed up however, cleaning his sword and taking up watch duty for the night.

* * *

Yes, I realize how long it's been since I put up a chapter, but there were some personal issues that had to get resovled. And I had to figure out exaclty where this story was going, I wrote it on a whim one day and made it up as I went. So, now I know where the plot is going, so that makes me a little more confident in this story. 

The woman introduced in this chapter, is you don't know, is the Evil herself. Tyrell, her servant, will play a much larger role than he does in this chapter. The next chapter is where I'll be introducing the first "dungeon," and should be up fairly soon.


End file.
